Isaac Thread #1 From New Orleans

20:00
Like most here in the path of Isaac, having some trouble sleeping so I thought I would makes some observations of things prior to Isaac's landfall

Starting to look like a the beginnings of a Science-Fiction movie down here in New Orleans. I keep thinking of "Independence Day" for some reason...

The populace here are very calm and collected, everyone is busy updating each others contact points.

In the stores bottled water is now gone from the shelves (I went to two stores), canned food is running low.

Lines around the block at gas stations.

I am pretty well stocked, water is a bit low will make another run for some tomorrow and gas. Also want to get a five gallon back up. Will go for all that tomorrow after work, along with another bottled water run.

I am looking warily at the fact, that I am on the first floor and the apt complex I live in is bordered by canals that lead to lake Pontchartrain on three sides. The closest canal in not 75 yards away.

Govt (I work for the Govt) just sent me a 2nd alert testing my cell phone.

They are starting to check all the hurricane shutters at the Michod Shuttle facility but everything is still go for work today. They might let us off early considering the situation.

6. Yep, trying to get all my ducks in a row today before it goes bad.

Car will be packed today and the last of my supplies will be in. Your right, there is no way one wants to do all this stuff in rising bad weather.

Now its just a matter of seeing what my agency wants to do, hopefully they will cut us loose and we can look at bugging out till, the agency gives a formal redeployment order for the agency to move to TX or Georgia, which is part of their Hurricane plan.

10. Good point! dragging out my camping gear and digging out the two water containers I have, will make

21. Not just intended water containers - just about anything that will hold water will do in a pinch...

...for instance, plastic containers for dry goods (cereal, beans, coffee, etc.) can usually hold water just as well, and plenty of people don't think to use those (they clear out the bottled water shelf instead).

And once the crisis is over you have something you can use for storing things. If you don't need them, give them to goodwill for people who can use them. At least they'd be used and not just thrown out or recycled.

9. Godspeed

If NOAA is correct and the track continues towards NO, Isaac will make landfall early Wednesday morning. At a certain point when it's a couple hundred miles away, the winds will pick up, of course. but we're talking a nearly 24 hour period.

The other mandatory evacs may begin sooner than you expect, perhaps later today, so you will need a GO-BAG to move when need be. Fuel will run out tomorrow, most likely, so gas up now.

NO evacuated USCG & USN personnel very early during Katrina, to be able to have them return and utilize them in rescue operations.

Good luck. Gulfport is in deep doo-doo again, and Westin USAF & Pensacola NAS the same. The storm is expected to track north, hitting at least Arkansas and as far north as Illinois.

11. still tracking westward

12. Tropical Storm Isaac: New warning for Louisiana

A new tropical storm warning has been issued for Louisiana's Gulf Coast as Tropical Storm Isaac approaches.

After lashing Florida, Isaac - which has killed nine people - is heading towards the northern Gulf Coast.

Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi and Alabama have all declared a state of emergency.

>

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said that at 09:00 GMT on Monday, Isaac was centred about 180 miles (290km) south-west of Fort Myers in Florida, with wind speeds of 65 mph (105km/h), and could reach hurricane force in the following 24 hours.

27. We wish. We don't make lazy bets on it going easy.

Better that the warning of Cat 2 be there based on best projections and simulations / calculations. Better than warning a Cat 1 in the hopes that more people believe it and have it turn out to be Cat 2. If people are stupid enough to ignore warnings, they will suffer and the government will pick up some of the pieces, but far from all.

28. Well, I am taking this seriously:

"The NHC is forecasting 6 to 12 feet of water ABOVE THE GROUND in spots along that stretch of coast.

"Normally, the exact amount of surge will be dependent on the exact track and where in the tide cycle the storm comes in. In Isaac's case, however, there will be such a long duration of onshore winds, due to the storm's size and slow forward speed, the water may stay high for more than one tide cycle."

14. Fill your bathtub with water & more tips here -

The only thing that worried me about your post is first floor - I'd be making some friends on higher floors today. Walk around & look for people to talk to. It's a good time to get to know your neighbors so you all can look out for each other.

I'm still hoping this one fizzles out ... but it's definitely headed in your direction.

35. That depends on if you have public water or not.

Filling the bathtub for toilet water is for the folks on well water who may not have power for the next several days to run the pump. Those on public water will still have water to flush toilets, even if it goes onto a boil notice. I would store drinking water in the fridge and in other plastic containers just in case.

I was without power for 7 days last year from Irene. My best friends were an oil lamp, 2 Yankee candles, 2 19.2 volt Craftsman fluorescent lamps, and a Coleman stove with 2 green (or blue) propane bottles. Otherwise, stock up on paper towels for cleaning pans and canned food.

40. Cool, thanks for the clarification -

I buy several of the big jugs of water at our grocery in the late summer, keep them through hurricane season, and then use them for watering the plants. So far we've only evacuated and not actually stayed through a storm. That may change pretty soon, however, now that we have 2 dogs and the kids are older.

18. Praying for the best for you. Some parts of Maryland receive 9 inces of rain and we are not near it

19. Categories and Evacuation

I'm near Tulane University - uptown by river. Tulane has canceled classes T/W, reopening Th - meaning they don't expect more than some street flooding, heavy rain and wind, tree branches down, spotty power loss with power restored within 48.

that's about right for a Cat 1 that doesn't come up the river. Cat 2 will trigger an evacuation. If it's a Cat 1 all those supplies won't be necessary because most of the city - not low lying areas, and even some ritzy neighborhoods may be without power for a few days - will be up and running soon.

I've been through everything from Betsy on. This so far is a "regular" storm - if it becomes dangerous, get on the counterflow early. MS does not cooperate well.

29. k&r nt

30. I would be concerned about those canals.

They aren't talking much about winds here in Biloxi, but they are concerned about all the rain and the tidal surge. Right now they're saying that we could get several inches of rain and that tides could be 12 feet higher than normal. They're posting warnings about all the local rivers. If New Orleans is going to bear the brunt of this storm, you might consider going to higher ground if you have somewhere else to go. If you stay, make a plan for what you might do if the water rises too high. I think we're going to be okay over here, but New Orleans is pretty vulnerable. I wish y'all the best.

33. Best of Luck......I remember the days leading up to Camille - I was 9

And we had been living in Metairie (Near Transcontinental and Veterans Hwy) for less than a month having just moved from Rockville, MD. I remember the near panic shopping at Schwegmann's, the boarding up of our windows, filling the bathtubs and the general hurry......

I also remember the relief when the storm stayed to the east of N'awlins.

37. Thanks for this. Just a few more words of advice.

Pretty much every year, there are mild scares and every few years there is a more significant one.

I evacuated a few times, only to have nothing much happen. Most New Orleanians will wait until the odds are looking pretty good for a significant hit before hitting the road.

And, of course, there will be hurricane parties. I had one at my house the night before everyone evacuated for Katrina. New Orleanians will always make the best of a bad time and will act like nothing much is happening up until the last minute.

My only advice for you is to be ready to leave if they call for an evacuation. They will contraflow the major arteries out, making it fairly easy to go.

If you do evacuate, make a reservation at a motel, if you don't have friends/family within a days drive. Even now, it may be hard to get a room reserved, but finding one once an evacuation is called becomes almost impossible.

I wish the best to you and to all my friends and family in New Orleans. I am hopeful that this will be like so many previous storms - much ado, then nothing.

41. Great tip about the hotels -

we found an awesome Marriott with little kitchens (and accepts big dogs) in a small town in North Texas. Purely by accident ... The other time we drove a little further and stayed with friends. It can be hard to find places as most people target cities. Try the small towns.

44. 18:16 UPDATE: Amtrak has suspended all service tomorrow and Wed.

Amtrak has suspended all service into and out of New Orleans Tuesday and Wednesday, but has restored service between Orlando, Tampa and Miami.

Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge canceled all classes and other activities Tuesday and Wednesday, as did Tulane University in New Orleans.

CNN affiliate WLOX in Biloxi, Mississippi, published a list of shelters that are now open or slated to open soon in anticipation of Isaac's arrival.

Got myself topped off for gas. So have a full tank.

Evacualtions are going on, highways are congested.

I will be hanging tight in Metairie, will post as long as I have ability to do so.

Picked up the complete works of HP Lovecraft from Barnes and Noble in Metarie, just down the street from me (Figured what better thing to read while an unholy storm screams outside) and have the all-purpose-adjustable cat.

46. it's a comin'

47. You're on Michoud Blvd. in New Orleans East?

Water is likely going to be an issue if it's strong enough. I know that big loaf of a NASA building well. Put things that need to be dry up high because you may flood (I used to live out there and know how low and waterlogged it is).

AP
Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh noticed all of the coincidences over the weekend about Tropical Storm Isaac and put them all together today into one giant theory about the "coincidence" that all of this happened during the week of the Republican National Convention.

He repeated numerous times in a monologue today on his radio show that he is "not alleging conspiracy." Then, he proceeded to point out that the National Hurricane Center is run by the government — or, in other words, President Barack Obama.
Here's Rush's diatribe:

The Republican National Convention. ... It's a chance to introduce Romney to a lot of people who don't know him yet. And I noticed that the hurricane center's track is -- and I'm not alleging conspiracies here. The hurricane center is the regime; the hurricane center is the Commerce Department.